NORWICH – The Chenango County Republican Committee hosted the 36th annual Lobsterfest on Sunday, drawing more than 500 community members together with elected officials and candidates from offices at the federal, state and county levels.
“The most non-political of political events,” said Republican Committee Chairman Tom Morrone in describing the event. Morrone is the longest running party chairman in the state.
The event was held beneath a clear blue sky at the Canasawacta Country Club and serves as the committee’s sole fundraiser for the year.
For $60 a ticket, patrons received two lobsters, an open bar, a complete buffet and four hours of casual access to some of the most predominant Republicans in the state.
Among those in attendance this year were: Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio; Harry Wilson, who is vying for the office of state comptroller; Bruce A. Blakeman, the Republican front-runner challenging Kirsten Gillibrand for her Senate seat in November; Dan Donovan candidate for Attorney General; and Richard Hanna, who will challenge Mike Arcuri once more for the honor of representing New York’s 24th Congressional District. Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Gary Berntsen also attended the event and will be challenging Chuck Schumer for his seat.
Also in attendence were state Senators Tom Libous and Jim Seward, as well as Assemblymen Cliff Crouch, Gary Finch and Pete Lopez, all endorsed for office. The man who originally started the tradition in the mid-70s, former Assemblyman Clarence “Rapp” Rappleyea, also attended.
“I don’t come here for the lobster; I can get that at home. The reason we’re here today is to meet with the people of Chenango County – to reach out to them and hear what they have to say,” said Hanna, the 24th congressional district contender.
“We were very fortunate in getting so many representatives. Just about every major Republican candidate for office is here to meet with the people of Chenango County today,” said Morrone yesterday.
Lobsterfest is known to draw people from all over Chenango as well as from neighboring counties and across party lines, he said.
“We do have people from the other side of the aisle who come every year,” he explained. One of those he mentioned was Assemblyman Bill Magee, the Madison County Democrat who heads the Assembly Agriculture Committee. “We always go to his events and he always comes to ours,” said Morrone.
Moving between picnic tables and crowds of people gathered beneath an outdoor pavilion, GOP candidates and officials echoed the same primary concerns: the suffering economy of New York State and what they called the backdoor politics of a government controlled by the Democrats.
“The most frustrating thing for this year is the budget, decided by three people in a closed room,” said Assemblyman Crouch referring to Gov. David Patterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Conference Leader John Sampson. Crouch said the Democratic leaders were keeping the budget negotiations confined to their leadership and were effectively robbing other representatives of a voice in the process.
“They never passed any proposal to the rank and file of the Assembly. I hear people asking me all the time ‘When are you going to pass a budget?’ but I can’t work with anything unless it comes to my desk,” said Crouch.
“Corruption and collusion. I decided to run because, like everyone, I’m fed up with the corruption and collusion,” said Donovan, the candidate for Attorney General.
Gubernatorial hopeful Lazio thanked Morrone and the Chenango County Republican Committee for their years of support.
“We’ve been here before and it’s great to be back again for one of the state’s largest Republican events,” said Lazio. “Everywhere we go, we find people like we have here in Chenango – people unhappy and financially burdened with an irresponsible state government.”
Rappleyea said Lobsterfest was still the same as he remembered it over the last three decades.
“It’s the same flavor of lobster as it was then and the same casual setting. It’s one of those events where everyone has great memories. Lots of people met their elected representatives for the first time, right here, and likewise. Representatives always seem to recall just how beautiful the area was and just how great the people are,” he said, motioning to the green outdoor scenery and the chatting crowds.